Disgraced Former Biden Admin Official Gets Off Easy with Plea Deal After Being Charged with Felony
A former bureaucrat in President Joe Biden’s administration who describes himself as “non-binary” received a suspended sentence after pleading “no contest” to felony charges in Las Vegas.
Sam Brinton was caught on video on July 6, 2022, stealing a woman’s luggage at Harry International Airport in Las Vegas.
He was given a suspended 180-day jail sentence and ordered to pay the victim $3,670.74 as restitution, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
He must also stay out of trouble, according to Las Vegas Justice Court records cited by KLAS-TV.
Brinton had originally faced felony charges because the value of the property he stole was more than $1,200, the legal limit for misdemeanor theft under Las Vegas law, according to the outlet.
Brinton served as deputy assistant secretary of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition in the Office of Nuclear Energy for about six months in 2022.
Brinton also faces similar charges in Minneapolis, where was charged with a felony last fall after being accused of stealing a piece of luggage, according to KMSP-TV.
His first court appearance in that matter took place Feb. 16 at the Minneapolis Public Safety Facility, after which Brinton left without having to post bail, according to KARE. The only restraint upon him was a warning not to contact the victim.
The station reported that Brinton is able to appear online, using Zoom, for the rest of the court proceedings.
The U.K.’s Daily Mail said Brinton was peppered with questions from the media on his way out of court, none of which he answered.
BREAKING: Former Biden official Sam Brinton made his first court appearance today in Minneapolis related to his theft of a woman’s luggage at MSP Airport. pic.twitter.com/NbBA59j0bm
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) February 15, 2023
Non-binary former Biden admin official Sam Brinton arrives to appear in court today in Minneapolis for stealing a woman’s luggage back at MSP back in October. pic.twitter.com/QfDJBJKu41
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) February 15, 2023
Non-binary former Biden admin official Sam Brinton leaving court after appearing before a judge for stealing a woman’s luggage last October.
“Why would you want some lady’s dirty clothes?” pic.twitter.com/RaU17heSHK
— Rebecca Brannon (@RebsBrannon) February 15, 2023
According to KARE, court documents said that through video surveillance, Brinton was seen taking a bag matching the description of one that was reported as missing.
Court papers say Brinton has admitted taking the luggage but said its contents were left in his hotel room when he went back to Washington. Police said nothing was recovered there.
Brinton was let go by the Department of Energy in December after he was charged with the Nevada theft, according to a December report from KLAS-TV.
Police in that case said surveillance video showed Brinton acting oddly.
“Specifically, Brinton pulled the victim’s luggage from the carousel and examined the tag. Then placed it back on the carousel, looking in all directions for anyone who might be watching, or might approach. Pulling it back off the carousel and demonstrating the same behavior by looking around before walking away with it quickly,” his arrest warrant said.
“Police reviewed possible leads but were unsuccessful in identifying the suspect until an officer saw a news article in November identifying Sam Brinton as a suspect in luggage theft at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport on Sept. 16,” KLAS-TV reported Wednesday. “Photos in the news stories matched the suspect in the Las Vegas luggage theft, according to the warrant.”
Investigators then found a post on Brinton’s Instagram account dated July 6, the date of the Las Vegas theft.
In the photo, Brinton was wearing the same T-shirt as the suspect in the airport surveillance video.
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